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Joining a Sorority After College
Maybe you had an unsuccessful rush in college, or you didn’t rush at all. Maybe you attended a college without a greek system, or didn’t attend college at all. Maybe you were a member of a service or professional sorority, or were a member of a local that folded. Whatever the reason, you’ve found yourself longing for sisterhood, and are thinking about joining a sorority. You are not alone! Thousands of women past the traditional college age have found their sorority home in one of the many community sororities. (Community sororities are also known as civic sororities, non-academic sororities, non-collegiate sororities, adult sororities, or philanthropic sororities.)
For over a century, community sororities have provided sisterhood for women who chose to join. Membership in a community sorority can be just as rewarding and is usually a better fit for most post-college women than trying to become an alumna initiate of a collegiate sorority. There are more than 20 community sororities located across the US and Canada, so there are a lot possibilities to find a sorority that is a good match for your interests and needs. Usually membership in these sororities is available by invitation to women over 18 years of age, with each one having its own membership selection process. If there is not a chapter in your area of the communitiy sorority that you are interested in, don't be discouraged. While each one has its own policies regarding starting new chapters, most community sororities except Tri-Kappa seem open to the prospect of expansion if there is not a chapter in your area. The community sororities are, in alphabetical order: Beta Sigma Phi – http://www.betasigmaphi.org Contact: membership@betasigmaphi.org Founded: 1931 in Abilene, Kansas Size: ~9000 active chapters, 250,000 members Location: All US states, Canadian provinces, and 23 countries. Purpose: to unite congenially in fellowship and friendship those women accepted for membership; to promote cultural development of such members...; to foster association with each other in pursuit of the liberal arts Philanthropy: Each chapter determines its own service projects Chi Sigma - Contact: 12201 Burncourt Rd #102, Timonium, MD 21093-8110 Phone: Founded: Size: 6 chapters Location: Arkansas, Maryland, Virginia Purpose: Delta Chi Sigma - http://www.deltachisigmasorority.org/ Contact: K2@teleport.com Founded: 1925 Size: Location: California, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Ontario, Canada. Purpose: Delta Sigma Kappa - Contact: Supreme Council, 1410 Kensington Blvd, Ft. Wayne, IN 46805-5338 Founded: November 24, 1924 in Lafayette, Indiana Size: Location: Indiana, Ohio Purpose: Delta Theta Chi – http://www.deltathetachi.org Contact: lwopschall@ucsd.edu Founded: 1920 in Chicago, Illinois Size: ~43 chapters Location: Arkansas, California, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, Washington Purpose: to promote cultural education, to foster personal development and good citizenship, to form a nation-wide fellowship, to attain a broader outlook and enjoyment of contact with those of similar purposes and ideals. Philanthropy: Breast Cancer and Literacy Delta Theta Tau - http://www.deltathetatau.org/ Contact: shannot1@muohio.edu Founded: 1903 in Muncie, Indiana Size: 120 active chapters and 59 alumnae associations Location: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Washington Purpose: Delta Theta Tau Sorority, Inc. is a national women's organization dedicated to the advancement of philanthropy and charity, nonsectarian, nonacademic, promoting welfare for all and fostering the spirit of good fellowship Philanthropy: Annual national philanthropic project. Last year's project was the National Ectodermal Dysplasia Foundation Epsilon Sigma Alpha - http://www.esaintl.org/ Contact: esainfo@esaintl.com Founded: 1929 in Jacksonville, Texas Size: over 1000 chapters Location: most US states Purpose: the development of a well-balanced lifestyle that encourages members to develop personal talents to pursue excellence in all aspects of daily life. Philanthropy: St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and Easter Seals Other Info: Epsilon Sigma Alpha has numerous avenues in which to participate. Traditional chapters are open to persons 18 years of age and older, regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin. ESA also features active youth chapters for young women not yet 18 years of age; Collegiate Sorority Chapters to accommodate members within academic settings; and men’s chapters. In addition, an Associate Membership is also available, where individuals and companies can support ESA without belonging to an established chapter. Kappa Delta Phi - Contact: Founded: prior to 1925 Size: Location: Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky Purpose: To teach sisterly love, Loyalty to God, to Country and to Kappa Delta Phi. Sublimity of ideals and affections. Intellectual and cultural development. To spread good cheer. To be a social influence in the community. To be of civic service to the community. To honor and perpetuate the glories of American Womanhood Philanthropy: Occupational therapy education Other Info: Not affiliated with the collegiate sorority Kappa Delta Phi NAS. Kappa Kappa Kappa – http://www.trikappa.org Contact: Central Office (317)876-7481 Founded: 1901 in Indianapolis, Indiana Size: 146 active chapters, 130 associate chapters, 11,000 members Location: Indiana Purpose: to bring women into close, unselfish relationship for the promotion of charity, culture and education. Philanthropy: Each Tri Kappa chapter has special projects in its community Other Info: Exists only within the boundaries of Indiana. Called Tri-Kappa, never KKK. Lambda Tau Delta - Contact: 730 Newberry Ave, La Grange Park, IL, United States Phone: (708) 354-2119 Founded: pre-1929 Size: Location: Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan Philanthropy: Heartspring, Aid to the Handicapped Omega Nu - Contact: Grand Council of Omega Nu Sorority, 125 Linden St, Santa Cruz, CA 95062-1017 Founded: April 4, 1903 Size: 13 chapters Location: California Purpose: serves the own community through charity and service P.E.O. Sisterhood - http://www.peointernational.org/ Contact: Phone: 515-255-3153 Founded: 1869 at Iowa Wesleyan College Size: ~250,000 members Location: US and Canada Purpose: Friendship is the cornerstone the Founders laid for our unique Sisterhood, and P.E.O. continues to be a source of encouragement and support for women to realize their potential in whatever worthwhile endeavor they choose. Philanthropy: Education Phi Beta Psi - http://www.phibetapsi.org/ Contact: info@phibetapsi.org Founded: 1904 in Columbus, Ohio Size: 87 chapters, 2100 active members Location: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington Purpose: The purpose of Phi Beta Psi is to participate in charitable work, to promote fraternal relationship among its members and to establish and assist other chapters of Phi Beta Psi. Philanthropy: Cancer Research Phi Epsilon Phi - Contact: Phi Epsilon Phi National Office, PO Box 4096, Burlingame, CA 94011-4096 Founded: 1937 Size: 16 chapters Location: California Purpose:To strive for increased knowledge, To be impartial in our judgement of others. To reach maturity through an understanding of ourselves. To establish a relationship with those around us, where we practice moderation, tranquility, kindness, and honor. To practice the art of being a friend, and thus, give and gain greater happiness Philanthropy: Cancer Research and The Alzheimers Association Phi Tau Omega - Contact: Tugirl1@aol.com Founded: March 8, 1925 Size: 36 chapters, 500 active members Location: Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri Purpose: Pi Omicron - Contact: awilcoxson@locl.net Phone: Founded: Size: 23 chapters Location: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania Philanthropy: Psi Delta Sigma - http://www.psideltasigma.org/ Contact: baydes@aol.com Founded: February 21, 1921 Size: 6 chapters Location: California Philanthropy: United Cerebral Palsy Psi Iota Xi - http://www.psiiotaxi.org/ Contact: Psi-Iota-Xi@att.net Founded: 1897 in Muncie, Indiana Size: 150 chapters, 5000 active members Location: Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee Purpose: The primary purpose of Psi Iota Xi is to be of service with time, money, and love in cooperation with the community Philanthropy: Speech and hearing Sigma Alpha - http://www.sigmaalphasorority.org/ Contact: president@sigmaalphasorority.org Founded: 1913 Size: over 50 chapters Location: California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin Philanthropy: Heartspring, a national private residential school for children with severe multiple disabilities. Other Info: Not affiliated with the agriculture sorority Sigma Alpha. Sigma Beta - http://www.sigmabeta.org/ Contact: chrystie@woh.rr.com Founded: 1922 in Fort Wayne, Indiana Size: 37 active chapters Location: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio Philanthropy: Scholarships for disabled college students and other national charity projects Sigma Phi Gamma - http://sigmaphigamma.com/ Founded: August 29, 1920 in Hartford City, Indiana Contact: Location: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Ontario, Canada. Purpose: Promote True friendship among women throughout the world; Work for higher standards among young people; Perform service work whenever and wherever possible. Philanthropy: helping and giving to the communities in which they live Theta Delta Xi - Contact: Founded: 1924 Size: 3 chapters Location: California Motto: To have a friend is to be a friend Philanthropy: Focus on youth and people with disabilities, with more than $500,000 over the years going to Jewish Family and Children’s Services; the campership fund of the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco; Etgarim, a disabled children’s and youth program in Israel; Ronald McDonald House; and the National Association for the Visually Handicapped. Other Info: Theta Delta Xi has a historically Jewish emphasis. Theta Sigma Phi - Contact: 447 Clintwood Ave, La Puente, CA 91744-3508 Founded: June 1, 1907 Size: 7 chapters Location: California Purpose: To educate disabled students Other Info: Not affiliated with the collegiate journalism group Theta Sigma Phi. Theta Tau Theta - Contact: 1051 Trojan Ave, San Leandro, CA 94579-2112 Founded: Size: 8 Chapters Location: California Philanthropy: Juvenile Diabetes |
BetaRose, would P.E.O. also be considered a sort of community sorority?
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I'm really not familiar with PEO enough to say, but if they are a sorority, I'd be happy to add them to the list. :)
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Here is their website: PEO International Sisterhood.
The only reason I know about them is because my Grammy was Nebraska State President when I was born, so it was a very big part of her life! I think it may be primarily a midwest thing, but I'm not sure. |
I'm familiar with Phi Beta Psi because over the summer I worked with grants in the hospital and they donated a lot of money for a certain oncology doctor's grant. :) Seeing that made me happy.
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Great post!! Way to go sis!!!
@->---- |
Don't forget to add the Order of the Eastern Star. Membership requirements have been relaxed somewhat over the past couple of years.
You must be related (by blood or marriage) to a Master Mason in good standing or who was in good standing at the time of his death. However, if you were a member of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls or Job's Daughters for at least three years or have reached Majority status in either organization and are at least 18 years of age, then you are eligible for membership as well. While it's also open to men, you must be already a Master Mason in good standing in order to petition OES. More info on the General Grand Chapter website: www.easternstar.org . |
Question--
How close does the relationship to a master mason have to be to join Eastern Star? Is it direct relationship (father to daughter) or can it be removed more (grandfather or great-grandfather... or an uncle, etc.)? I knew it was a relation, but was always curious to know how close the relation had to be... |
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I left Eastern Star off the list because this thread was intended to be specifiaclly about adult sororities, not about other types of fraternal organizations.
The general point of the thread was to inform women who may be thinking that AI is the only way to join a sorority post college that there are other options out there. There are over 300,000 members of community sororities out there, but they don't get as much attention on GC, since for most people the mindset is "Sorority=NPC group" As has been discussed here recently, AI is not appropriate for everyone, and many of the women who are thinking about pursuing it would make wonderful members of a community sorority. |
I dont believe that is true about the 3 yr rule before being intiated into OES
I have been a job's daughter since i was 11 and i initated inot OES at 18.....I am a Past bethel Guardian for Job's and i am up on all the policies and procedures and i never heard of a 3 yr rule. i know a girl who joined jobs at 18 and joined OES the same yr with her mom |
I think he meant if you don't have a relative in Masons. I'm guessing the girl you are referring to was the daughter or niece of a Mason since her mom was joining.
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I have been around these masninc groups since i was in the womb ,hehe, but I am going to check into that because it doesn't sound right..... but i may be wrong but i will find out. Actually i am going to be at the shriners halloween dance in L.A and i sure i can find some OES and Masons to give me some info and report back to you on this tomorrow.
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www.peointernational.org will tell you a great deal. Here is what I recently posted under the thread "Non-collegiate Sororities." P.E.O. (always written with periods after the letters!) was founded at Iowa Wesleyan University in 1869. The Original Seven had become fast friends during their college years. A chapter of I.C. Sorosis (now Pi Beta Phi) was chartered in December, 1868. Not all seven were invited to join I.C. and they refused to affiliate without their friends. So, they created "a society of their own," which was publicly announced to the campus on January 21, 1869. P.E.O. expansion took the community route as sisters graduated and wanted to perpetuate their sisterhood in the towns to which they moved. As the years passed the IWU rules for student orgs conflicted with the P.E.O. Constitution. After much deliberation, the collegiate members chose to become the Beta chapter of Alpha Xi Delta which was chartered on June 7, 1902. ******* P.E.O. chapters are in every state and in Canada. There are many, many NPC members who are P.E.O.s. It's fun to discover "double" sisters! AGDAlum |
Updated to add Sigma Beta Sorority to the list.
Sigma Beta - http://www.sigmabeta.org/ Contact: chrystie@woh.rr.com Founded: 1922 Size: 37 active chapters Location: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio Philanthropy: Scholarships for disabled college students and other national charity projects |
Adding Sigma Alpha to the list as well. Note that this is organization is not affiliated with the professional agricultural sorority Sigma Alpha.
Sigma Alpha - http://www.sigmaalphasorority.org/ Contact: president@sigmaalphasorority.org Founded: 1913 Size: over 50 chapters Location: California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin Philanthropy: Heartspring, a national private residential school for children with severe multiple disabilities. |
This might sound like a stupid questions (although the teacher in me is saying "there is no such thing as a stupid question") but, the way I'm understanding the community sororities is that NPC women could possibly join a community sorority? Am I correct in that assumption? Wouldn't it be considered the same if you were NPC and you were also in a honorary? I'm really tired so my brain is kind of fried when it comes to NPC rules.
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Updated info for Sigma Gamma Phi.
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Ooh me...
I joined Phi Sigma Sigma Faternity Inc. on March 17th 2000 I joined Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Sorority for Members of the Collegiate Band on February 4th 2001 I founded the PA Nu Eta chapter of Beta Sigma Phi in November of 2003 I founded the PA Nu Iota chapter of Beta Sigma Phi in November of 2005 So yes, join away! |
Also, along the same lines as community groups, but with a "Fraternal" bond are the Moose Lodge, Eagles Lodge and Elks...Rebecca's and Odd Fellows, too, plus "The Grange".
I can speak about the Moose Lodge in my area as DH and I are members...there are a lot of 30-somethings in the lodge. There is a ritual and not only does the Moose support community, kids and local philranthropies, they also support their own children's home--Mooseheart (it is a saving grace for some kids) and Moosehaven for the elderly. |
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Good luck to all Michele Kriske |
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/Just saying.... |
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And as AlphaFrog said, you really need to remove the sorority's name or you may be kissing your chance to join goodbye. |
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I had no idea that this could happen MK |
Bumping for all the recent posters.
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There have been quite a few similar posters lately. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt until they show us otherwise. :) |
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OES
I myself am a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. To answer your questions: the 3 year membership involving Job's Daughters is in fact if you are not related to a Master Mason. As for women and men that are not a part of Job's Daughters, membership is limited to:
Only men who are Masons are eligible and only women with specific Masonic affiliation may be members. These affiliations include:
See the OES website for more information: http://www.easternstar.org |
Is this the most recent list? I want to join, but I'm in NJ and it seems like my choices are very limited. Phi Beta Psi was the only one I think. I'm African American, 26, out of college, I'm a community leader, a wife and a mom. Any assistance would be great.
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Best wishes. |
Epsilon Sigma Alpha
I checked the chapter listing for you, since I'm a sister of ESA. We currently don't have any chapters in NJ. If you were interested in forming a new chapter with some ladies in your area, check out the website.
http://www.esaintl.com/join/join_index.cfm?action=start That's the page with information on starting a new chapter. Hope this helps you. |
I've created a website for this information. and to keep it up to date. http://www.communitysororities.org
It's still under construction (like pretty much everything I do, lol :) ) so be patient. |
Another adult sorority-- Beta Gamma Upsilon
My hometown in Indiana had a chapter of Beta Gamma Upsilon. It seemed like the organization had chapters in at least Indiana and Illionois. These were the classier women in town. Many had been in undergraduate sororities.
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i want to be a part of alpha kappa alpha but i dont know what to do to join but my aunt is in it and she is encouraging me to do it but im only a junior in high what can i do? how do i pledge?
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